The Episcopal Church has selected Cielo Property Group to partner in the development of a church-owned city block in downtown Austin, Texas, that will incorporate space for The Archives of the Episcopal Church and an adjoining mixed-use project.

The Episcopal Church purchased the Austin city block bounded by Seventh, Eighth, Trinity and Neches streets in 2009 for the purpose of building a national archives facility. The new 67,000-square-foot home of The Archives of the Episcopal Church will include research, exhibit and public space. The facility will serve as a national gathering place where Episcopalians and others can study and celebrate the history, beliefs and work of the Church and provide a cultural amenity for the broader Austin community.
Cielo Property Group was chosen from among 40 private developers who expressed interest in the property.

Not so awesome. People act like East Austin just became cool yesterday. Though I grew up in central Austin, my father often took me to east Austin (aside from attending middle and high schools there) for church, food (El Azteca, Nuevo Leon etc0, music and semi pro baseball (at old Zaragosa Park). Up to and beyond 20 years ago, people would give you weird looks when they heard you hang out on the east side or cancel dinner plans over there when they saw they'd be going to meet us east of 35.

The coolness factor there now is not possible without the people in that community who are have and are now being priced out. The coolness factor now is nothing less than a racist code mantra to signal that now that hipsters and whites are colonizing east Austin, it's safe for white folk now to flock there.

Not so awesome. People act like East Austin just became cool yesterday. Though I grew up in central Austin, my father often took me to east Austin (aside from attending middle and high schools there) for church, food (El Azteca, Nuevo Leon etc0, music and semi pro baseball (at old Zaragosa Park). Up to and beyond 20 years ago, people would give you weird looks when they heard you hang out on the east side or cancel dinner plans over there when they saw they'd be going to meet us east of 35.

The coolness factor there now is not possible without the people in that community who are have and are now being priced out. The coolness factor now is nothing less than a racist code mantra to signal that now that hipsters and whites are colonizing east Austin, it's safe for white folk now to flock there.

I find it quite sad that we've having this discussion about what most consider the most progressive city in the south, yet I live in an upscale apartment downtown on Main Street, Columbia, SC - birthplace of the civil war and the heart and soul of the deep south - above a store across the street from... the homeless shelter and food bank. And not a single person in my building, or in any of the complexes on Main (all mostly owned by the same developer, and managed out of the same store front on Main, too) let alone the office staff ever complain about the homeless. In fact, there are a few dudes (edit: homeless dudes) who I know by name and vice-versa. The lawyer across the hall from me donates to both the food bank and homeless shelter his time and money, too.

Like I said prior: I see residential as the best particular option, because people who are willing to live downtown, all else equal, are more comfortable with the homeless issue. Yes, ARCH is a particular problem for downtown, but ARCH from a development perspective presents a bigger stumbling block to an upscale hotel or office development than it does a residential one.

^I agree. The office idea won't work because of the small floor plates. I don't like the idea of hotel because while you will have people staying there who are familiar and comfortable with travel and everything that comes with it, I'd rather not throw visitors to Austin to an unknown situation, even if it's only unknown to them. It could be bad for tourism and the city's image. Your point about the residents who would elect to live there know the unique experiences and challenges that come with living downtown.